Tim Robbins’ Election Day Stir: Did He Go To The Wrong Polling Place?

Published November 10, 2008•Updated on November 10, 2008 at 10:02 pm

Tim Robbins created a stir on Election Day after he was unable to cast his vote in his New York City polling center. The only problem, however, was Robbins went to the wrong polling place, according to the Board of Elections.

According to a letter from the New York City Board of Elections penned to the actor, Robbins should have voted at Andrew Heskell Library, located at 40 West 20th Street. Instead, Robbins and his partner, Susan Sarandon, went to the McBurney YMCA, located at 125 West 14th Street.

”[It] would appear, based upon a review of your voter registration history, that your voting experience was less than positive because you simply went to the wrong poll site,” a letter from Gregory Soumas of the Board of Elections wrote in a letter to the star, obtained by Access Hollywood.

While Robbins claimed to the NY Daily News following the incident that he had voted in the polling place twice before, according to the letter from the board, it was not during the last two times ballots were cast.

“The change of voter address was not noticed earlier because you have not voted in any recent election, including the Presidential Primary in February 2008 and the Party Primary in September 2008,” the letter continued.

Robbins got a bit heated on Election Day at the McBurney YMCA after the polling officials could not find his name on the list.

“I filled out an emergency affidavit ballot. Then I realized I shouldn’t have done that,” he told the NY Daily News. “There are many examples of paper ballots disappearing. I wanted to vote with a machine.”

The situation was then taken to the next level when Robbins decided to ask to see a supervisor.

“The supervisor said I’d have to leave the polling place. I got angry. I said, ‘I’m a U.S. citizen! I’m not leaving till I have exercised my right to vote or been given an explanation,” he previously told the paper.

Cops were called to the scene, though no action was taken, and eventually a Board of Elections official arrived. Robbins was sent to their headquarters where a judge allowed him – by court order – to use a machine.

When contacted by Access Hollywood, a rep for Robbins was not immediately available for comment on this story.